Method for making duplex metal alloy/polymer composites

Claim 1

A method of preparing a duplex metal/organic polymer multilayer composite structure, the method comprising: (a) providing a normally solid, formable thermoplastic polymer layer, said polymer layer having a forming temperature in degrees Kelvin, a first planar surface and a second planar surface, the first and second planar surfaces being generally parallel to each other; (b) intimately adhering a first normally solid metal layer to at least one planar surface of the polymer layer, the first metal layer having a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature and being formed from an alloy of two or more metals, said first metal layer having a thickness within the range of from 0.01 micrometers to 0.5 micrometers, the alloy melting at a temperature, or over a range of temperatures, that is within a temperature range of from about 85 to about 150 percent of the forming temperature of the thermoplastic polymer layer, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin; and (c) intimately adhering a second normally solid metal layer to the first metal layer, the second metal layer having a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature and being formed from a metal or an alloy of two or more metals that melts at a temperature, or over a range of temperatures, which is lower than that at which, or over which, melting of the metal alloy of the first metal layer occurs, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin.

Claim 2

A method of preparing a duplex metal/organic polymer multilayer composite structure, the method comprising: (a) providing a normally solid, formable thermoplastic polymer layer, said polymer layer having a forming temperature in degrees Kelvin, a first planar surface and a second planar surface, the first and second planar surfaces being generally parallel to each other; (b) intimately adhering a first normally solid metal layer to at least one planar surface of the polymer layer, the first metal layer having a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature and being formed from an alloy of two or more metals, said first metal layer having a thickness within the range of from 0.01 micrometers to 0.5 micrometers, the alloy melting at a temperature, or over a range of temperatures, that is within a temperature range of from about 85 to about 150 percent of the forming temperature of the thermoplastic polymer layer, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin; and (c) intimately adhering a second normally solid metal layer to the first metal layer, the second metal layer having a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature and being formed from a metal or an alloy of two or more metals that melts at a temperature, or over a range of temperatures, which is lower than that at which, or over which, melting of the metal alloy of the first metal layer occurs, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin.

Claim 12

A method of preparing a duplex metal/organic polymer multilayer composite structure, said method comprising: (a) providing a normally solid, formable thermoplastic polymer layer having a first metal layer intimately adhered to at least one planar surface thereof, the polymer layer having a forming temperature, said metal layer being formed from a normally solid metal alloy of two or more metals, said metal layer having a thickness within the range of from 0.01 micrometers to 0.5 micrometers, said metal alloy having a liquidus temperature, a solidus temperature and a melting temperature or melting temperature range, the melting temperature or melting temperature range being within a specific temperature range of from about 85 to about 150 percent of the forming temperature of the thermoplastic polymer, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin; and (b) intimately adhering a second normally solid metal layer to the first metal layer, the second metal layer having, in degrees Kelvin, a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature, said second metal layer being applied to the first metal layer while the metal of the second metal layer is at a temperature greater than its liquidus temperature and between the solidus temperature and the liquidus temperature of the metal alloy of the first metal layer.

Claim 13

A method of preparing a duplex metal/organic polymer multilayer composite structure, said method comprising: (a) providing a normally solid, formable thermoplastic polymer layer having a first metal layer intimately adhered to at least one planar surface thereof, the polymer layer having a forming temperature, said metal layer being formed from a normally solid metal alloy of two or more metals, said metal layer having a thickness within the range of from 0.01 micrometers to 0.5 micrometers, said metal alloy having a liquidus temperature, a solidus temperature and a melting temperature or melting temperature range, the melting temperature or melting temperature range being within a specific temperature range of from about 85 to about 150 percent of the forming temperature of the thermoplastic polymer, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin; and (b) intimately adhering a second normally solid metal layer to the first metal layer, the second metal layer having, in degrees Kelvin, a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature, said second metal layer being applied to the first metal layer while the metal of the second metal layer is at a temperature greater than its liquidus temperature and between the solidus temperature and the liquidus temperature of the metal alloy of the first metal layer.

Claim 15

A method of preparing a duplex metal/organic polymer multilayer composite structure, said method comprising: (a) providing a normally solid, formable thermoplastic polymer layer having a first metal layer intimately adhered to at least one planar surface thereof, the polymer layer having a forming temperature, said first metal layer having a thickness within the range of from 0.03 micrometers to 0.3 micrometers, and being formed from one normally solid metal selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, nickel and manganese; and (b) intimately adhering a second normally solid metal layer to the first metal layer, the second metal layer having a liquidus temperature and a solidus temperature, the second metal layer being in such a proportional relationship with respect to the first metal layer that the two metal layers, when taken together and heated to the forming temperature of the polymer layer, comprises a segregated alloy of at least two metals, the segregated alloy having a melting temperature or melting temperature range that is within a temperature range of from about 80 to about 135 percent of the forming temperature of the polymer layer, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin.

Claim 16

A method of preparing a duplex metal/organic polymer multilayer composite structure, said method comprising: (a) providing a normally solid, formable thermoplastic polymer layer having a first metal layer intimately adhered to at least one planar surface thereof, the polymer layer having a forming temperature, said first metal layer having a thickness within the range of from 0.03 micrometers to 0.3 micrometers, and being formed from one normally solid metal selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, nickel and manganese; and (b) intimately adhering a second normally solid metal layer to the first metal layer, the second metal layer having a liquidus temperature and a solidus temperature, the second metal layer being in such a proportional relationship with respect to the first metal layer that the two metal layers, when taken together and heated to the forming temperature of the polymer layer, comprises a segregated alloy of at least two metals, the segregated alloy having a melting temperature or melting temperature range that is within a temperature range of from about 80 to about 135 percent of the forming temperature of the polymer layer, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin.

Claim 17

A method of preparing a duplex metal/organic polymer multilayer composite structure, said method comprising: (a) providing a normally solid, formable thermoplastic polymer layer having a first metal layer intimately adhered to at least one planar surface thereof, the polymer layer having a forming temperature, said first metal layer being formed from a normally solid alloy of two or more metals, said first metal layer having a thickness within the range of from 0.01 micrometers to 0.5 micrometers, the alloy having a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature; and (b) intimately adhering a second normally solid metal layer to the first metal layer, the second metal layer having a liquidus temperature and a solidus temperature, the second metal layer being in such a proportional relationship with respect to the first metal layer that the two metal layers, when taken together and heated to a specfic temperature comprise a segregated alloy of at least two metals, the specific temperature being (1) between the solidus temperature and the liquidus temperature of the first metal layer and (2) greater than the liquidus temperature of the second metal layer, the segregated metal alloy having a melting temperature or melting temperature range that is within a temperature range of from 80 to about 135 percent of the forming temperature of the thermoplastic polymer, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin.

Claim 18

A method of preparing a duplex metal/organic polymer multilayer composite structure, said method comprising: (a) providing a normally solid, formable thermoplastic polymer layer having a first metal layer intimately adhered to at least one planar surface thereof, the polymer layer having a forming temperature, said first metal layer being formed from a normally solid alloy of two or more metals, said first metal layer having a thickness within the range of from 0.01 micrometers to 0.5 micrometers, the alloy having a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature; and (b) intimately adhering a second normally solid metal layer to the first metal layer, the second metal layer having a liquidus temperature and a solidus temperature, the second metal layer being in such a proportional relationship with respect to the first metal layer that the two metal layers, when taken together and heated to a specfic temperature comprise a segregated alloy of at least two metals, the specific temperature being (1) between the solidus temperature and the liquidus temperature of the first metal layer and (2) greater than the liquidus temperature of the second metal layer, the segregated metal alloy having a melting temperature or melting temperature range that is within a temperature range of from 80 to about 135 percent of the forming temperature of the thermoplastic polymer, said temperatures being in degrees Kelvin.